Helmut Kohl's Re-Election Effort
Is Tied to Germany's Jobless Rate

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany -- Helmut Kohl and Michael Schulze have never met, but they play big roles in each other's lives.

As Mr. Kohl, German chancellor of 16 years, gears up for the last major election in his long career, unemployment is the single biggest campaign issue, and Germany's 4.27 million jobless could make or break Mr. Kohl's chances of a record fifth term. Mr. Schulze is one of those jobless, and his chances of finding...